Fire pits will quickly become a gathering point for family and guests to warm themselves and have outdoor cookouts. The light from the fire will stretch the time you spend outdoor into the evening hours. Your children may even want to pitch a tent and invite friends over for the evening. Fire pits can be hand made or store bought.

In the next year or two you may want to enhance the fire pit area with an outdoor fireplace or kitchen room.

Outdoor lighting adds to any backyard or patio area. Light a pathway, one of one your trees, backlight a plant with interesting foliage as a focal point, or wash a wall with light. This looks particularly pretty if it’s a rock wall or has a trellis with flowers and hanging baskets in front of it.

Tikki lights also add to backyard lighting along with mini lanterns placed in trees and on posts.

Today’s solar lights are getting better and low voltage lights are more affordable too. Theses solar lights places along gardens, paths and near water ponds add an atmosphere of relaxation to the backyard paradise.

Water ponds, water gardens, mini waterfalls and fountains are easy to set up. They can be store bought or made from items purchased at auctions and garage sales. If you have small children you may want to set up a child-safe pond-less fountain.

The addition of gardens, new plants or hanging baskets will brighten and change the look of the backyard quickly. Many people are setting up container gardening for just this reason. The pots can be moved around every week for a new look to the backyard garden area.

For the small backyard designs the addition of a mini table fountain and a trellis for plants will fit on a patio or balcony and add beauty and comfort to these small spaces.
photo credit: bunnygoth

New patio furniture will also give the backyard a new look. Nice furniture can be picked up at sales and an auction for a few dollars. With a new coat of paint and cushions that match the colors in your backyard you will make an area to read or relax that also creates a design flow in your garden area.

These are just a few fast and modestly priced ideas for a quick and easy backyard design projects.